Ideas take water debate beyond pipedreams

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Does Frank Sartor propose a levy for eastern suburbs consumers
to fund the "giant pipe" and desalination plant, its energy
consumption and the cost of removing greenhouse gases or nuclear
waste so generated ("Solution for a thirsty city: drink the sea",
Herald, June 4-5)? For years water recycling technology has
supplied London without vast energy use or fancy machines. If Mr
Sartor has been to London then not only has he bathed in "sewage",
he has brushed his teeth in it, eaten food cooked in it and,
assuming the Minister for Utilities deigns to drink tap water,
swallowed it, too.

Mark Rossiter Newtown

The best water feature anyone can have in their backyard is the
all-Australian-made rainwater tank. Get one tomorrow.

Vicki Zvargulis Newtown

Why is no one talking about the obvious solution to our water
problem: a price increase? Our household's last quarterly water
bill was $23 (for a family of four), while the sewerage service was
nearly four times this - $87. The water cost, one-tenth of a cent
per litre, provides no financial incentive to reduce use. A long
shower costs less than a local phone call and a week's use for four
people less than a cappuccino. Double the cost for every 5
percentage point reduction in dam levels, starting at the 50 per
cent mark. Now that would provide an incentive to put in a
rainwater tank, an efficient shower head or a half-flush
toilet.

Tim Rosser Newtown

Hong Kong in the mid-1960s reduced water flow to taps to four
hours every four days after China turned off the flow from
Guangzhou province at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Yet
there was always water for flushing. How? Sea water. A recent
report from Hong Kong's Environment, Transport and Works Bureau
states that "about 650,000 cubic metres of sea water is used for
flushing every day, equivalent to some 25 per cent of the daily
fresh water consumption ". Why can't the saltwater solution be
adopted here?

J.E. Parkes Leura

If the 135 politicians we dutifully elected to the NSW
Parliament are unable to come up with a strategy to supply water,
then Governor Marie Bashir should call a double dissolution and
we'll vote in someone who can.

Brian McCauley Bowral

It would be much better for all of Sydney to siphon off, say, 90
per cent of the primary treated sewage, treat it to drinking water
standards, and use it for the east - all the way west to Potts
Hill. A similar plant should be located on the northern side of the
harbour, where we have the giant North Head works discharging
primary treated sewage to the sea, and have it supply water all the
way back to Ryde. This would be the equivalent of providing a
second Warragamba Dam. So, don't desalinate, recycle. And slug
excess users.

Gordon Chirgwin Marayong

South-eastern Australia is burdened with population densities
way beyond its natural carrying capacity. In the debate about the
strain on the environment, population growth is ignored in favour
of moralising about air-conditioners or big cars. With the demands
caused by population growth, nothing is surer than within 50 years
we will be using nuclear energy and drinking recycled sewage, and
will have destroyed every river from the Hunter to the Shoalhaven,
at the very least. Populate and perish.

Don Barton Katoomba

Vince Todd (Letters, June 4-5), you didn't ask me.

Camille Blyth Scotland Island

May I suggest that the Herald publish a daily water
saving tip? I will start with one of mine. Place an empty bucket in
the shower to catch all the water that goes down the drain while
you are waiting for the cold water to turn hot. The water can be
reused to flush a toilet.

Cilla Tey Mulgoa

Save water, wear black.

Mary Lee Chippendale

Desalinated water for the eastern suburbs, nuclear power, 10
minutes via high-speed trains to Parramatta, a new deck on the
Harbour Bridge, a new city rail tunnel - it's all a dream, Mr Carr.
I had one of these dreams, too, but then I woke up. I was in NSW
and my 40-year-old train broke down.

C. Boyle Lane Cove

Farms and the city: both must find the way forward

Doubt has been cast on why I'm still farming after three years
of drought and little income (Letters, June 4-5). Any other
business would have folded, and I've been told I should do the
same.

I could move to Sydney with its water crisis, public transport
nightmare, roads in disrepair, pollution and proposed nuclear power
stations. That's, of course, if there is any room left for my
family there. At least the drought will break. Anyone want to
swap?

City and country folk have one thing in common: we don't live in
a perfect world. Let's stop complaining and do something about
it.

Craig Plum "Burradool", Tarcutta

Non-rural dwellers don't understand farmers, farmers don't
understand single mothers. What I don't understand, Pamela McCloy
(Letters, June 3), is why, with no income for three years and no
water, you still think a farm is sustainable, environmentally and
economically?

Simon MacKenzie Cremorne

J.D. Harding (Letters, June 4-5), you do not understand Pamela
McCloy because you lack her "grit and guts".

Ron Pike Coffs Harbour

Some poor devils are hanging on in places where it hasn't rained
for years. That's crazy. A rough rule of thumb might be that any
European-style farm that doesn't get decent rain at least every
third year is not viable. How much would it take to make it
worthwhile for farmers to dump things that will grow only if
irrigated? Would that cost more than building new dams and
desalination plants?

Harold Lander Longueville

Perhaps Pamela McCloy should have a baby or two - it obviously
pays better than farming.

Rob Eager Rockdale

Why not go the whole hog and nationalise the farms, using some
of this Future Fund money? The farmers would become government
employees and would no longer be relying on welfare. It would also
give government the chance to sort out some of the poor irrigation
methods. When the drought ends (if it ever does), government could
allow a partial buy-back and recoup some of the money. Just a
thought.

Julie Christie Stirling (ACT)

It's a gas-driven grab for power

The call by the Premier for a nuclear discussion is a smokescreen
of a split and divide proposal. Why doesn't Bob Carr's Government
make the decision to create a natural gas-driven power station a
starter, instead of his proposed coal-burning one? The nuclear
option is jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Tom Uren Balmain

I am director of a company that is developing a wind farm in the
Southern Highlands. The Taralga wind farm, north of Goulburn, will
produce enough power for 40,000 homes. The turbines are on eight
farms whose owners will be very relieved to receive some
drought-proof income. Well-placed and well-designed wind farms do
not pose a significant threat to bird life - many more birds will
disappear through loss of habitat caused by global warming.

Nuclear is expensive. The greenhouse gases emitted in building
and operating the facilities and disposing of the waste diminish
the greenhouse gas savings, and we are all aware of the long-term
risks.

In Sweden last month they closed another of their nuclear power
stations in favour of wind energy and other renewables. In Germany
recently they did the same, also in favour of wind energy. These
countries are leading the world in moving to renewable energy. Why
would we go in the opposite direction?

Colin Liebmann Lane Cove

Late again, naturally

The opening of the Cross City Tunnel delayed? I'll add this one to
the delayed start of the Epping to Parramatta and north-west rail
links.

Allan Gibson Cherrybrook

It's no surprise public transport's share of commuters is
dropping. Waiting for 45 minutes at the bus stop on The Crescent,
Annandale, I was surrounded by glossy ads for the Cross City Tunnel
promising fewer traffic lights and a faster trip. Instead of using
bus shelters to convert commuters to cars, the Government should be
delivering better bus services and the promised bus lane over the
Anzac Bridge.

Mary-Jane Gleeson Annandale

Not your call, Kim

Whether you consider the tax cuts fair or otherwise, Kim Beazley is
parading as though he were the Government. John Howard was
re-elected eight months ago. The pompous Mr Beazley should pull his
head in. If Mr Beazley is still leader going into the next election
and wins (heaven forbid) then he can deliver his agenda.

Leo Vilensky Castle Cove

Plan gets top marks

At last some common sense in education ("Let pupils mark teachers,
says Nelson", Herald, June 4-5). Allowing students to
provide opinions on how the teachers are running classes, how the
curriculum is being presented and whether it is effective is the
most sensible thing I have heard in a long time. If teachers are
doing the right thing and are professional, they shouldn't worry -
constructive criticisms shouldn't hurt anyone. Some teachers might
even get applause.

Jolanda Challita Miranda

Student evaluation of teachers was a prominent fad in the 1980s
in the United States, long enough ago to have some studies
available on its effectiveness. The longitudinal study "On the Use
of Numerically Scored Student Evaluations of Faculty" at Texas
A&M University, involving thousands of students, found a slight
negative correlation between students' evaluation of their teachers
and their retention of knowledge. Overall, the better students
thought their teachers in their first year were, the less material
they recalled in later courses dependent on the initial ones.

I. Bokor Armidale

Ban the killer cat

We have tried to eradicate rabbits and foxes because they are
environmental pests, so why do we allow people to own cats
("Killers in our midst", Herald, May 31)?

Cats should face the same fate as the pit bull terrier. People
should be allowed to keep the cats they have, but any further sale
or breeding of cats should be prohibited.

Chris Hutchinson Manly

Ozealand

Australia's population is now officially more than 20 million
("Population hits 20.2 million", Herald, June 4-5). Some say
the country needs more people. Others say the continent could not
support them. Shouldn't we aim for the best of both worlds? A
Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand would have a population
of 24 million: an instant 20 per cent boost to the domestic market
without placing any more stress on our environment. The two
countries already share a major national holiday and we could stop
arguing about who invented the pavlova.

Ian Alexander Porto Alegre (Brazil)

Scooter solution

According to Tony Davis ("Scooting stars", Drive, June 3), the
country is in the throes of a motor scooter boom. A fraction of the
price of cars, motor scooters have lower fuel consumption,
maintenance and on-road costs, and take up much less space. You
could get to work in half the time. What a logical solution to our
city traffic woes. To this week's Transport Minister: could we
please have a dedicated motor scooter/ bike/cycle lane on every
major roadway?

Jan Brahe Tempe

Tough for teachers, too

Young people are faced with many tough choices as they grow up but
being gay is not usually one of them. It's a fact they learn to
accept and hope that those around them will, too. As a teacher who
has just returned to work this year after having children, I have
been wondering whether I was cut out for this game. I am very
grateful for Luke Endean's kind words of encouragement (Letters,
May 28-29). Year 9 is a tough place to be, even if you're the one
holding the chalk.

Caroline Maskus Whitton

Cheers to the Cup

It's ironic, but that rugby fellow John O'Neill is probably the
best thing that has happened to Australian football in a long time
("Australia 2018: O'Neill bids long hello to World Cup coup",
Herald, June 3). I would simply love it if we staged the
World Cup.

Jeremy Spinks Baulkham Hills

Beware: it's business as usual

The Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin is indeed in a very dangerous
situation. Amanda Vanstone has said his application for political
asylum will be processed in the usual manner.

Daniel Cox Adamstown Heights

Ageing disgracefully

After seeing Alice Cooper on the cover of the latest Metro
supplement, it appears that with each passing year he needs less
make-up to look scary.

Ken Simington Belfield

Called to account

Will the Japanese embassy please provide a list of articles and
publications in scientific journals of discoveries resulting from
studies made on dead whales?

Malcolm Hilbery Woonona

Mass eviction

Is there a phone number that I can ring to evict all the Big
Brother housemates in one go?

Rory O'Donoghue Davidson

Warnie runs amok

Someone should explain to Warnie that just because he is getting
some runs, it was not necessary to buy a house with five loos
"Warnie - the very model of a little Briton", Herald, June
4-5).

Bill Carpenter Bowral

Sudoku breakthrough

At 65 years of age, "second childhood" has finally arrived for me.
I have solved Saturday's Sudoku for Kids - and it only took two
hours.

Peter Ryan North Bondi

Powder panic

John Howard spent vast sums of our money telling us to be "Alert -
not alarmed". Where was his fridge magnet last week?

Trevor Connell Holder (ACT)

If they'd called in the Melbourne Airport drug dogs, that white
powder would have been identified as talcum powder in a flash.

Peter Spencer Newtown

The late news

There are hundreds of billions of Miss Universes chosen every day
(Letters, June 2). Unfortunately, because of the size of the place,
most of the announcements will reach us only after the Earth's been
vaporised. Sad.

Larry Mounser Waverley

Words, words, words

I realise that we now have different words in our language, such
as: train station, sidewalk, cookies, vacation, elevator, issues
and, of course, the confusion between 11/9 and 9/11, etc. After 50
years in Oz I learned to talk proper Strine. So what to do with my
Macquarie Dictionary?

Peter Frylink Umina Beach

Second-hand babies

I can understand why television prizes are announced as new
(Letters, June 4-5), but why do baby congratulatory cards always
read " a new baby boy/girl"?

Elizabeth Maher Bangor

Maddening resemblance

Noticed how much George Bush looks like Alfred E. Neuman?

Jeffrey Mellefont Bondi Beach

Pondering a mystery

I mused this morning on where birds go when they die. There are
billions of them, and all must eventually cark it. Where are the
bodies? Why aren't streets littered with corpses of sparrows,
pigeons and starlings? The paddocks around the bush are free of
dead cockatoos and galahs. Is there some large hidden bird bone and
feather yard?

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